Protein inhibitor of neuronal nitric oxide synthase

ABSTRACT

An nNOS associated protein designated PIN-1 (Protein Inhibitor of nNOS) has been identified. It physically interacts with nNOS and inhibits its activity. Multiple lines of evidence indicate that PIN-1 is a regulator of nNOS: it is physiologically associated with nNOS, and it inhibits its catalytic activity. The extraordinary evolutionary conservation of PIN-1 and preliminary evidence that it interacts with multiple proteins, suggests that it may be a major biological regulatory protein influencing numerous physiological processes.

This application is a division of application Ser. No. 08/705,625 filed Aug. 30, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,908,756.

The U.S. Government has a paid-up license in this invention and the right in limited circumstances to require the patent owner to license others on reasonable terms as provided for by the terms of USPHS grant DA00266 and Research Scientist Award DA0074 and GM-07309 awarded by the National Institutes of Health.

TECHNICAL AREA OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the area of neurotransmitter regulation. More particularly, the invention relates to the regulation of neuronal nitric oxide synthase.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Nitric oxide (NO) is a major messenger molecule in the cardiovascular, immune and nervous systems. In the brain, NO is responsible for the glutamate-linked enhancement of 3′, 5′ cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) levels (S. R. Jaffrey and S. H. Snyder, Annu. Rev. Cell Dev. Biol. 11, 417, 1995) and may be involved in apoptosis (E. Bonofoco et al., Proc. Natl. Acad Sci. U.S.A. 92, 7162, 1995; J. B. Mannick et al., Cell 79, 1137, 1994), synaptogenesis (Jaffrey and Snyder, ibid.; T. Wang, Z. Xie, and B. Lu, Nature 374, 262, 1995) and neuronal development (Jaffrey and Snyder, ibid.).

Since NO cannot be stored in vesicles like other neurotransmitters, its release is regulated by the activity of the enzyme which makes it, NO synthase (NOS). Although a number of substances are known to regulate transcription of NOS, it is possible that regulation occurs at other levels as well. For example, several enzymes are influenced by physiologically associated proteins that serve as enzyme inhibitors. Examples include cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (A. Kamb, Trends Genet., 11, 136, 1995; S. J. Elledge and J. W. Harper, Curr. Opin. Cell Biol. 6, 847, 1994), the FoF1 ATPase inhibitor (J. E. Walker, Curr. Opin. Struct. Biol. 4, 912, 1994), and the ornithine decarboxylase inhibitor antizyme (J. S. Heller, W. F. Fong, E. S. Canellakis, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 73, 1858, 1976). Such regulation of NOS by protein inhibitors was not known.

NO mediates glutamate neurotoxicity, which has been implicated in debilitating and lethal neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's and Huntington's diseases (D. W. Choi, J. Neurosci 10, 2493-2501; B. Meldrum and J. Garthwaite, Trends Phannacol. Sci. 11, 379-387, 1990). Thus, there is a continuing need in the art of neurotransmitter regulation for methods of affecting the activity of neuronal NOS, so that one can manipulate NO levels when required for therapeutic effect in such disorders.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide an isolated mammalian PIN-1 (Protein Inhibitor of nNOS) protein.

It is another object of the invention to provide a fusion protein comprising at least eight contiguous amino acids selected from the PIN-1 amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide an isolated polypeptide consisting of at least eight contiguous amino acids of PIN-1 as shown in SEQ ID NO:2 and capable of binding a rat nNOS domain within amino acids 163-245 as shown in SEQ ID NO:3.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a preparation of antibodies which specifically bind to a PIN-1 protein as shown in SEQ ID NO:2.

It is even another object of the invention to provide a subgenomic polynucleotide which encodes a PIN-1 protein as shown in SEQ ID NO:2.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a recombinant DNA construct for expressing PIN-1 antisense nucleic acids.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a method of inhibiting a mammalian neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS).

It is even another object of the invention to provide methods of screening test compounds for the ability to decrease or augment the activity of nNOS.

These and other objects of the invention are provided by one or more of the embodiments described below. One embodiment of the invention provides an isolated mammalian PIN-1 protein which has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2 and naturally occurring biologically active variants thereof.

Another embodiment of the invention provides a mammalian PIN-1 fusion protein which comprises two protein segments fused to each other by means of a peptide bond, wherein one of the protein segments consists of at least eight contiguous amino acids selected from the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2.

Yet another embodiment of the invention provides an isolated polypeptide which consists of at least eight contiguous amino acids of PIN-1 as shown in SEQ ID NO:2, wherein the polypeptide binds to a rat nNOS domain within amino acids 163-245 as shown in SEQ ID NO:3.

Still another embodiment of the invention provides a preparation of antibodies which specifically bind to a mammalian PIN-1 protein as shown in SEQ ID NO:2.

Even another embodiment of the invention provides a subgenomic polynucleotide which encodes a PIN-1 protein as shown in SEQ ID NO:2.

Yet another embodiment of the invention provides a recombinant DNA construct for expressing PIN-1 antisense nucleic acids, comprising a promoter and a coding sequence for PIN-1 consisting of at least 12 contiguous base pairs selected from SEQ ID NO: 1, wherein the coding sequence is in an inverted orientation with respect to the promoter, such that upon transcription from the promoter an RNA is produced that is complementary to native mRNA encoding PIN-1.

Still another embodiment of the invention provides a method of decreasing a mammalian nNOS, comprising the step of contacting a nNOS with a PIN-1 protein having an amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO:2.

Even another embodiment of the invention provides a method of screening test compounds for the ability to decrease or augment nNOS activity comprising the steps of: (a) contacting a test compound with a mixture of a mammalian PIN-1 protein and two molecules which bind to each other by virtue of a nNOS dimerization domain or naturally occurring biologically active variants thereof, and (b) measuring the amount of PIN-1 or of at least one of the two molecules that is bound or unbound in the presence of the test compound. A test compound that increases the amount of PIN-1 or decreases the amount of the two molecules that are bound is a potential drug for decreasing nNOS activity. A test compound that decreases the amount of PIN-1 or increases the amount of the two molecules that are bound is a potential drug for augmenting nNOS activity.

In one embodiment of the invention the test compound is contacted with a cell lysate containing nNOS and PIN-1 or naturally occurring biologically active variants thereof. The proteins in the lysate are separated by electrophoresis in an SDS-polyacrylamide gel under non-reducing conditions, and the amount of NNOS monomers or dimers in the gel is measured by immunoblotting. A test compound that decreases the amount of nNOS monomers or increases the amount of nNOS dimers is a potential drug for augmenting nNOS activity. A test compound that increases the amount of nNOS monomers or decreases the amount of nNOS dimers is a potential drug for decreasing nNOS activity.

Yet another embodiment of the invention provides a method of screening test compounds for the ability to decrease or augment nNOS activity comprising the steps of: (a) contacting a cell with a test compound, wherein the cell comprises i) a first fusion protein comprising (1) a DNA binding domain and (2) all or a portion of a mammalian PIN-1 protein, wherein the portion consists of a contiguous sequence of amino acids selected from the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2, wherein the portion is capable of binding to nNOS; ii) a second fusion protein comprising (1) a transcriptional activating domain and 2) all or a portion of nNOS, wherein the portion consists of a contiguous sequence of amino acids selected from amino acids 163-245 as shown in SEQ ID NO:3, or naturally occurring biologically active variants thereof, and wherein the interaction of the portion of the PIN-1 protein with the portion of nNOS reconstitutes a sequence specific transcriptional activating factor; and iii) a reporter gene comprising a DNA sequence to which the DNA binding domain of the first fusion protein specifically binds; and (b) measuring the expression of the reporter gene. A test compound that increases the expression of the reporter gene is a potential drug for decreasing nNOS activity. A test compound that decreases the expression of the reporter gene is a potential drug for augmenting nNOS activity.

Even another embodiment of the invention provides a method of screening test compounds for the ability to decrease or augment nNOS activity comprising the steps of: (a) contacting a cell with a test compound, wherein the cell comprises: i) a first expression vector comprising a subgenomic polynucleotide encoding at least a portion of nNOS or a naturally occurring biologically active variant thereof, wherein the portion of nNOS is capable of binding to at least a portion of PIN-1; ii) a second expression vector comprising a subgenomic polynucleotide encoding at least the portion of PIN-i or a naturally occurring biologically active variant thereof, wherein the portion of PIN-1 is capable of binding to the portion of nNOS; and (b) measuring the amount of cGMP in the cell. A test compound that increases the amount of cGMP is a potential drug for augmenting nNOS activity. A test compound that decreases the amount of cGMP is a potential drug for decreasing nNOS activity.

The present invention thus provides the art with the information that PIN-1, a heretofore unknown protein, regulates the activity of neuronal nitric oxide synthase. PIN-1 can be used, inter alia, in assays to screen for substances which have the ability to decrease or augment neuronal nitric oxide synthase activity.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1. NOS and PIN-1 interact in the yeast two-hybrid system. (FIG. 1A) Yeast were transformed with the indicated GAL4 AD and GAL4 BD plasmids and grown on plates containing histidine. A typical filter lift (P. M. Chevray and D. Nathans, PNAS 89, 5789, 1992) is shown in which β-galactosidase activity was detected by the appearance of a dark blue precipitate. pAD-PIN-1 activated LacZ transcription only in the presence of the pBD-NOS (2-377) indicating protein-specific interaction in this system. β-Galactosidase activity correlated with growth on histidine-deficient plates. (FIG. 1B) Mapping of the PIN-1-binding domain of nNOS. The GAL4 BD was fused to regions of NOS and the ability of these proteins to interact with PIN-1 was assayed using the yeast two-hybrid assay. The relative β-galactosidase activity is indicated in the column on the right.

FIG. 2. PIN-1 is a highly conserved protein. (FIG. 2A) Amino acid sequence of PIN-1. Abbreviations for the amino acids residues are A, Ala; C, Cys; D, Asp; E, Glu; F, Phe; G, Gly; H, His; I, Ile; K, Lys; L, Leu; M, Met; N, Asn; P, Pro; Q, Gln; R, Arg; S, Ser; T, Thr; V, Val; W, Trp; and Y, Tyr. (FIG. 2B) PIN-1 is highly conserved in different species. Predicted amino acid sequences from ESTs representing PIN-1 homologs were compared to the rat PIN-I sequence and the percent amino acid sequence identity is indicated above each bar. Accession numbers for the referenced clones are:N28047 (EST, S. mansoni), T01352 (EST, C. reinhardtii), T34147 (EST, human), T88069 (A. thaliana).

FIG. 3. nNOS and PIN-1 interact in vitro. (FIG. 3A) PIN-1 binds to nNOS but not iNOS or eNOS. Bacterially expressed GST-PIN-1 and GST were bound to glutathione agarose. Lysates of HEK 293 cells transfected with expression plasmids for nNOS, iNOS, and eNOS were applied to the GST fusion protein columns and incubated for one hour at 4° C. (20). The contents of the resin were eluted with SDS-PAGE sample buffer and immunoblotted with the indicated isoform-specific antibodies. (FIG. 3B) GST-PIN-1 binds to nNOS immobilized on 2′, 5′, ADP-sepharose, a NOS affinity resin. Bacterial lysates containing the indicated recombinant proteins were mixed with lysates from nNOS transfected HEK 293 cells or mock transfected cells. The mixture was applied to 2′, 5′, ADP-sepharose and incubated for one hour at 4° C.; see Example 5, infra. The resin was washed extensively and the bound protein was eluted with 10 mM NADPH and detected by immunoblotting with an anti-GST antibody (NovaCastra). Aliquots of the bacterial lysates are included to show the mobilities of the different recombinant proteins. (FIG. 3C) GST-PIN-1 recognizes nNOS in a blot overlay assay. Two cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) sites were inserted between the GST moiety and PIN-1 to create a GST-PIN-1 fusion protein which was labelled in vitro with [g-³²P] ATP by PKA. Lysates were resolved by SDS-PAGE, transferred to nitrocellulose, and probed with the radiolabelled GST-fusion protein, as described in Example 5, infra. The radiolabelled protein binds to purified nNOS and to nNOS in transfected HEK 293 cells but not in mock transfected cells. (FIG. 3D) nNOS coprecipitates with PIN-1. HEK 293 cells were transfected with nNOS and either a myc epitope-tagged PIN-1 construct or the parent vector. Preparation of this construct is described in Example 5, infra. Cell lysates were treated with an anti-myc antibody and the immunoprecipitates were immunoblotted with an anti-nNOS antibody to detect coprecipitation of nNOS.

FIG. 4. PIN-1 inhibits NO generation. (FIG. 4A) PIN-1 reduces NO-dependent cGMP elevation in transfected HEK 293 cells. HEK 293 cells were transfected with an nNOS expression vector and the indicated concentrations of pmyc-PIN-1. Cells were treated with 10 mM calcium ionophore A23187 and cGMP levels were measured by radioimmunoassay. (FIG. 4B) PIN-1 inhibits nNOS catalytic activity in a concentration-dependent manner. GST-PIN-1 (—) and thrombin-cleaved PIN-1 (▴—▴) were expressed in E. coli and and incubated for one hour at 37° C. with transfected cell lysates containing nNOS. nNOS activity was measured by the measuring the accumulation of [³H]citrulline from [³H]arginine (28). Control activity levels were determined using either GST or thrombin cleaved BIRK, as described in Example 6, infra.

FIG. 5. PIN-1 inhibits NOS dimerization. (FIG. 5A) nNOS migrates as a monomer after treatment with recombinant PIN-1. The nNOS dimer is stable in SDS-PAGE sample buffer but denatures and migrates at the expected monomeric molecular mass of 160 kD if the sample is boiled prior to electrophoresis (P. Klatt et al., EMBO J. 14, 3687, 1995). nNOS preparations from transfected HEK 293 cells similar to those in FIG. 4B were assayed for dimerization by SDS-PAGE. A boiled sample is included to show the expected mobility of the nNOS monomer. (FIG. 5B) The apparent molecular mass of nNOS by gel filtration is reduced following treatment with recombinant PIN-1. Samples were resolved by fast performance liquid chromatography using a Superdex 75 gel filtration column (Pharmacia). Fractions were concentrated and the material was immunoblotted with an anti-nNOS antibody. The void volume measured by blue dextran was 8.5 ml. The column was calibrated with the following standards: thyroglobulin (M_(r) 670,000) 8.7 ml, gamma globulin (M_(r) 158,000) 11.2 ml, ovalbumin (M_(r) 44,000) 12.6 ml, myoglobin (M_(r) 17,000) 14.3 ml, cyanocobalamin (M_(r) 1,350) 19.0 ml.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

It is a discovery of the present invention that the mammalian protein PIN-1 (Protein Inhibitor of nNOS) physically interacts with and inhibits the activity of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS). Although it was known that nNOS regulates the release of its product, the messenger molecule nitric oxide, protein inhibitors of nNOS were previously unknown.

Mammalian PIN-1 protein has the sequence disclosed in SEQ ID NO:2. Any biologically active variants of this sequence that may occur in mammalian tissues are within the scope of this invention. Biologically active variants bind to and inhibit nNOS. The PIN-1 protein comprises amino acids 1-89 as shown in SEQ ID NO:2. Fragments of a mammalian PIN-1 protein, comprising at least eight, ten, twelve, or fifteen consecutive amino acids selected from the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2, may also be used. Such fragments may be useful, for example, in various assays, as immunogens, or in therapeutic compositions. A fusion protein may be used, consisting of a full length mammalian PIN-1 protein or a PIN-1 protein fragment fused to a second protein or protein fragment by means of a peptide bond. The second protein or protein fragment may be, for example, a ligand for yet a third molecule. The second protein or protein fragment may be labeled with a detectable marker or may be an enzyme that will generate a detectable product. A fusion protein may be useful, for example, to target full-length PIN-1 protein or a PIN-1 fragment comprising one or more specific domains, to a specific location in a cell or tissue.

Any of these PIN-1-related proteins may be produced by expressing PIN-1 cDNA sequences in prokaryotic or eukaryotic host cells, using known expression vectors. Synthetic chemistry methods can also be used to synthesize PIN-1 protein, fusion protein, or fragments. Alternatively, PIN-1 protein can be extracted, using standard biochemical methods, from PIN-1-producing mammalian cells, such as brain cells. The source of the cells may be any mammalian tissue that produces PIN-1 protein including human, rat, or mouse. Methods of protein purification, such as size exclusion chromatography, ammonium sulfate fractionation, ion exchange chromatography, affinity chromatography, or preparative gel electrophoresis, are well known in the art. Given the sequence disclosed in SEQ ID NO:2, an ordinary artisan can readily select appropriate methods to obtain a preparation of mammalian PIN-1 protein that is substantially free from other mammalian proteins. An isolated PIN-1 protein is purified from other compounds that may normally associate with PIN-1 protein in a cell, such as certain proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, or subcellular organelles.

The present invention also provides a preparation of antibodies that specifically bind to mammalian PIN-1 protein. The antibodies may be polyclonal or monoclonal and may be raised against biochemically isolated, chemically synthesized, or recombinantly produced full-length PIN-1 protein, PIN-1 protein fragments, or PIN-1 fusion proteins. Techniques for raising antibodies directed against intracellular proteins such as mammalian PIN-1 are well known in the art. The antibodies bind specifically to PIN-1 epitopes, preferably epitopes not present on other mammalian proteins. Antibodies that bind specifically to PIN-1 proteins include those that bind to full-length PIN-1 protein, PIN-1 fragments or degradation products, to alternatively spliced forms of PIN-1 proteins, or to PIN-1 fusion proteins. In preferred embodiments of the invention the antibodies prevent PIN-1 binding to nNOS, immunoprecipitate PIN-1 protein from solution, and react with PIN-1 protein on Western blots of polyacrylamide gels. Preferably the antibodies do not exhibit nonspecific cross-reactivity with other mammalian proteins on Western blots or in immunocytochemical assays. Techniques for purifying PIN-1 antibodies are those which are available in the art. In a more preferred embodiment, antibodies are affinity purified by passing antiserum over a support column to which PIN-1 protein is bound and then eluting the bound antibody, for example with high salt concentrations. Any such techniques may be chosen to achieve the preparation of the invention.

The polynucleotides of the present invention encode PIN-1 protein. These polynucleotides may be isolated and purified free from other nucleotide sequences by standard purification techniques, using restriction enzymes to isolate fragments comprising the PIN-1 encoding sequences. The polynucleotide molecules are preferably intron-free and have the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1. Such PIN-1 cDNA molecules can be made inter alia by using reverse transcriptase with PIN-1 mRNA as a template. The polynucleotide molecules of the invention can also be made using the techniques of synthetic chemistry given the sequence disclosed herein. The degeneracy of the genetic code permits alternate nucleotide sequences to be synthesized that will encode the PIN-1 amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2. All such nucleotide sequences are within the scope of the present invention. The PIN-1 polynucleotide molecules can be propagated in vectors and cell lines as is known in the art. The constructs may be on linear or circular molecules. They may be on autonomously replicating molecules or on molecules without replication sequences. Recombinant host cells can be formed by introducing the genetic constructs of the present invention into cells. Any of those techniques which are available in the art can be used to introduce genetic constructs into the cells. These include, but are not limited to, transfection with naked or encapsulated nucleic acids, cellular fusion, protoplast fusion, viral infection, and electroporation. Introduction of genetic constructs may be carried out in vitro or in vivo.

The invention also provides a recombinant DNA construct for expressing PIN-1 antisense nucleic acids. The construct contains a promoter and a coding sequence for PIN-1 consisting of at least 12 and preferably at least 15 or 20 contiguous base pairs selected from SEQ ID NO: 1. The PIN-1 coding sequence is in an inverted orientation with respect to the promoter, so that when the sequence is transcribed from the promoter, an RNA complementary to native PIN-1-encoding mRNA is produced. The construct may also include a terminator at the 3′ end of the inverted PIN-1 coding sequence. The antisense molecules produced using the DNA construct of the invention may be used to decrease or prevent the transcription of PIN-1 mRNA. The antisense molecules may be used in vitro or in vivo, as pharmacological agents for the purpose of influencing nNOS activity.

According to the present invention, nNOS is inhibited by mammalian PIN-1 protein, which destabilizes the nNOS dimer, thereby inhibiting nNOS activity. Suitable inhibitory concentrations range from 1 nM to 1 mM. In a preferred embodiment the concentration of PIN-1 protein is at least 250 nM. In a more preferred embodiment the concentration of PIN-1 protein is at least 1 μM. Greater concentrations of PIN-1 protein may also be used. nNOS activity may be measured, for example, by assaying nitric oxide-dependent cGMP formation in HEK 293 cells cotransfected with DNA encoding PIN-1 and nNOS. Other cell lines, such as mouse N1E-115 neuroblastoma cells, may be used as well. Formation of cGMP may be measured, for example, by radioimmunoassay or by spectrophotometry. nNOS activity may be measured in intact cells or in cell lysates. Other assays for measuring nNOS activity may also be used.

The present invention also provides methods of screening test compounds for the ability to decrease or augment nNOS activity. The test compounds may be pharmacologic agents already known in the art or may be compounds previously unknown to have any pharmacological activity. The compounds may be naturally occurring or designed in the laboratory. They may be isolated from microorganisms, animals, or plants, and may be produced recombinantly, or synthesized by chemical methods known in the art. A test compound can be contacted with a mixture of mammalian PIN-1 protein and two molecules containing, for example, a rat nNOS dimerization domain which is a contiguous sequence selected from the nNOS amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:3. Analogous domains in other mammalian nNOS proteins can also be used. These are referred to as biologically active, naturally occurring variants of the rat protein. The human nNOS protein is shown as another example of a mammalian nNOS in SEQ ID NO:4. These molecules may be produced recombinantly or may be synthesized using standard chemical methods. One or both of the two dimerizing molecules may consist of less than the entire nNOS momomer. The monomers may be prebound as dimers prior to the step of contacting the test compound. Alternatively, the test compound may contact one of the monomers before the second monomer is added. The dimerization domain-containing molecules may be in solution or one monomer may be bound to a solid support. These molecules may be unlabeled or labeled, for example, with a radioactive, fluorescent, or other detectable marker. They may be fusion proteins comprising a nNOS dimerization domain and another protein with or without a detectable enzymatic activity. The amount of at least one of the two dimerization domain-containing molecules that is bound or unbound in the presence of the test compound is then measured. A number of methods may be used to measure the amount of monomers or dimers. For example, the relative concentration of monomers and dimers may be detected by examining the apparent molecular masses of the molecules by size exclusion chromatography or by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under non-reducing conditions. Other methods of measuring binding or dissociation of the dimerization domain-containing molecules will readily occur to those of ordinary skill in the art and can be used. A test compound that decreases the amount of the two molecules that are bound is a potential drug for decreasing nNOS activity. A test compound that increases the amount of the two molecules that are bound is a potential drug for augmenting nNOS activity.

According to another aspect of the invention, a test compound is contacted with a mixture of mammalian PIN-1 protein and molecules containing a nNOS dimerization domain. Binding of the dimerization domain-containing molecules in the presence of the test compound may be measured by detecting dimers or monomers directly or by measuring the displacement of PIN-1 protein. Full-length PIN-1 protein, protein fragments, or fusion proteins may be used. The proteins may be radiolabeled or labeled with fluorescent or enzymatic tags and may be detected, for example, by scintillation counting, fluorometric assay or monitoring the generation of a detectable product, or by measuring their apparent molecular mass by gel filtration or electrophoretic mobility. One of the monomers may be bound to a solid support. A test compound that increases the amount of PIN-1 protein that is bound is a potential drug for decreasing nNOS activity. A test compound that decreases the amount of PIN-1 protein that is bound is a potential drug for augmenting nNOS activity. A test compound which increases dimerization of nNOS is a potential drug for augmenting nNOS activity. A test compound which decreases dimerization of nNOS is a potential drug for decreasing nNOS activity.

According to the present invention a method is also provided of using the yeast two-hybrid technique to screen for test compounds that decrease or augment NNOS activity. The yeast two-hybrid technique is generically taught in Fields, S. and Song, O., Nature 340, 245-46, 1989. In a preferred embodiment, a cell is contacted with a test compound. The cell comprises (i) a first fusion protein comprising a DNA binding domain and all or a portion of a mammalian PIN-1 protein consisting of a contiguous sequence of amino acids selected from the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2 and capable of binding to nNOS; (ii) a second fusion protein comprising a transcriptional activating domain and all or a portion of NNOS, wherein the portion comprises a contiguous sequence of amino acids selected from amino acids 163-245 as shown in SEQ ID NO:3 or naturally occurring biologically active variants thereof, and wherein the interaction of the portion of the PIN-1 protein with the portion of nNOS reconstitutes a sequence specific transcriptional activating factor; and (iii) a reporter gene comprising a DNA sequence to which the DNA binding domain of the first fusion protein specifically binds. When the PIN-1 and nNOS regions are bound together, the DNA binding domain and the transcriptional activating domain will be in close enough proximity to reconstitute a transcriptional activator capable of initiating transcription of a detectable reporter gene in the cell. The expression of the reporter gene in the presence of the test compound is then measured. A test compound that increases the expression of the reporter gene is a potential drug for decreasing nNOS activity. A test compound that decreases the expression of the reporter gene is a potential drug for augmenting nNOS activity. Many DNA binding domains and transcriptional activating domains can be used in this system, including the DNA binding domains of GAL4, LexA, and the human estrogen receptor paired with the acidic transcriptional activating domains of GAL4 or the herpes virus simplex protein VP16 (See, e.g., G. J. Hannon et al., Genes Dev. 7, 2378, 1993; A. S. Zervos et al., Cell 72, 223, 1993; A. B. Votjet et al., Cell 74, 205, 1993; J. W. Harper et al., Cell 75, 805, 1993; B. Le Douarin et al., Nucl. Acids Res. 23, 876, 1995). A number of plasmids known in the art can be constructed to contain the coding sequences for the fusion proteins using standard laboratory techniques for manipulating DNA (see, e.g., Example 1, below). Suitable detectable reporter genes include the E. coli lacZ gene, whose expression may be measured calorimetrically (see, e.g., Fields and Song, supra), and yeast selectable genes such as HIS3 (Harper et al., supra; Votjet et al., supra; Hannon et al., supra) or URA3 (Le Douarin et al., supra). Methods for transforming cells are also well known in the art. See, e.g., A. Hinnen et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 75, 1929-1933, 1978. The test compound may comprise part of the cell culture medium or it may be added separately.

In another embodiment, a cell is contacted with a test compound. In this embodiment, the cell comprises (i) a first expression vector comprising a subgenomic polynucleotide encoding at least a portion of nNOS or a naturally occurring biologically active variant thereof, wherein the portion of nNOS is capable of binding to at least a portion of PIN-1, and (ii) a second expression vector comprising a subgenomic polynucleotide encoding the portion of PIN-1 or a naturally occurring biologically active variant thereof, wherein the portion of PIN-1 is capable of binding to the portion of nNOS. The amount of cGMP in the cell is then measured, for example by radioimmunoassay or by spectrophotometry. A test compound that increases the amount of cGMP in the cell is a potential drug for augmenting nNOS activity. A test compound that decreases the amount of cGMP in the cell is a potential drug for decreasing nNOS activity.

The following are provided for exemplification purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention which has been described in broad terms above.

EXAMPLE 1

This example demonstrates a screen for neuronal nitric oxide synthase associated proteins. This screen was performed using the yeast two-hybrid system (S. Fields and O. -K. Song, Nature 340, 245, 1989; P. M. Chevray and D. Nathans, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 89, 5789, 1992.)

Yeast expressing a fusion protein consisting of amino acids 2-377 of nNOS and the GAL4 DNA-binding domain (DB) were transformed with a rat hippocampal cDNA library fused to the GAIA activation domain (AD). In this system, protein interaction was detected by growth on histidine-deficient plates and by measuring β-galactosidase activity transcribed off a lacZ reporter gene (P. M. Chevray and D. Nathans, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 89, 5789, 1992). Screening −3×10⁶ clones resulted in the isolation of a complementary DNA (cDNA) that encodes a protein, PIN-1 (Protein Inhibitor of SNOS) that specifically interacts with nNOS. This interaction was specific, as PIN-1 binds to NNOS but not to distinct domains of another protein, the rapamycin and FKBP target (RAFT) (FIG. 1A).

To determine the region of nNOS involved in PIN-1 binding, we expressed several truncated fragments of nNOS as GAL4 DB fusions in yeast and assayed for binding to PIN-1 with the two-hybrid assay. Two-hybrid screens and parent vectors pPC97 and pPC86 were as described in Chevray and Nathans, supra. Plasmid pBD-NOS(2-377) was constructed by inserting a NNOS PCR product comprising amino acids 2-377 into the Sal I-Bgl II sites of pPC97 resulting in an in-frame GAL4 DB-NOS fusion protein. The nNOS fragment was constructed by PCR using the following primers: 5′-GACTAGTCGACTGAAGAGAACACGTTTGGG-3′ (coding strand, SEQ ID NO: 5) and 5′-TCTGCAGATCTCAGTGGGCCTTGGAGCCAAA-3′ (noncoding strand, SEQ ID NO: 6). A rat hippocampal cDNA library in pPC86 (Li, X. -J. et al., Nature 378, 398, 1995) was amplified once in DH1OB (Gibco BRL) (J. Sambrook, E. F. Fritsch, T. Maniatis, Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989) and transformed into yeast containing pBD-NOS(2-377). pAD-PIN was identified as a 0.5 kb clone which activated LacZ transcription and conferred histidine protrophy in the presence of pBD-NOS(2-377). A double transformant containing pBD-NOS and pPC86 demonstrated that the region of NOS used in the two-hybrid assay was not capable of activating transcription on its own. pPC97 derivatives containing fragments of RAFT were constructed by PCR and cloned into the Sal I and Sac I sites of pPC97. PCRs utilized the following primers: RAFT (1864-2549), 5′-GGACTGGTCGACTGACGAGTTCTACCCCGCC-3′ (coding strand, SEQ ID NO: 7) and 5′-GGACTGGAGCTCATCTTGTTGGTC-3′ (noncoding strand, SEQ ID NO: 8); RAFT (944-1224)5′-GGACTGGTCGACTCCTCTGCAGAAGAAGGTC-3′ (coding strand, SEQ ID NO: 9) and GGACTGGAGCTCTTACCAGAAAGGACACCA-3′ (noncoding strand, SEQ ID NO: 10). Truncated NOS fragments comprising amino acids 2-165 and 2-284 were generated by restriction of the initial NOS (2-377) PCR fragment with Nco I and Ava I, respectively followed by Klenow-filling in of that end and ligation into pPC97. Other truncated NOS fragments were prepared by PCR using the following coding strand primers 5′-TAGTCGACTCTCTTCAAACGCAAAGTG-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 11) and 5′-TAGTCGACTCAAGGCCATGGGCAGGGA-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 12) for creating N-terminal fragments beginning at amino acids 20 and 163, respectively. Truncations ending at amino acid 245 utilized the following noncoding strand primer: 5′-GCAGATCTTTGTGCGATITGCCATC-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 13). Sequences of newly constructed plasmids were confirmed by automated fluorescent sequencing.

A fusion protein containing amino acids 163-245 of nNOS was sufficient for PIN-1 binding (FIG. 1B). This region lies outside of the NOS PDZ domain, a protein-binding module that may target NOS to synaptic or cytoskeletal structures (C. P. Pontig and C. Phillips, Trends Biochem. Sci. 20, 102, 1995; J. E. Brenman et al., Cell 82, 743, 1995; J. E. Brenman et al., Cell 84, 757, 1996), and also does not overlap with regions of NOS previously implicated in binding to calmodulin or cofactors.

EXAMPLE 2

This example demonstrates the tissue distribution of PIN-1 mRNA.

Northern (RNA) blot analysis using the PIN-1 cDNA revealed a 0.9 kb transcript, with highest levels in the testes, various brain regions providing the next highest levels, and most peripheral tissues containing significantly less but detectable levels. In the brain, the transcript was abundant, appearing to be present at levels nearly as high as the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase transcript.

EXAMPLE 3

This example demonstrates the determination of the full length PIN-1 coding sequence.

To obtain the full length PIN-1 sequence, a rat brain cDNA library was screened with the PIN-1 cDNA from the yeast two-hybrid system. A pBluescript plasmid containing the cDNA for PIN was obtained by screening a rat brain IZAPII cDNA library (Stratagene) with a randomly primed ³²P-labelled probe derived from the Sal I-Not I insert in pAD-PIN. Library screening was performed according to the directions of the manufacturer. Sequencing of the pAD-PIN insert and the Bluescript clone confirmed that they were identical.

We obtained a 615 bp cDNA which contained a 270 bp open reading frame preceded 87 bases upstream by an in-frame stop codon. The start codon was assigned as the first ATG and was located in a context that conformed to the Kozak consensus sequence (M. Kozak, J. Biol. Chem. 266, 19867, 1991). These data revealed that the clone initially obtained in the yeast two-hybrid screen coded the complete PIN-1 sequence and 25 amino acids from the 5′ untranslated region.

EXAMPLE 4

This example demonstrates the predicted amino acid sequence and characteristics of mammalian PIN-1 protein.

PIN-1 is predicted to be an 89 amino acid protein (FIG. 2A) and has no recognizable motifs. A database search (S. F. Altschul et al., J. Mol. Biol. 215, 403, 1990) reveals that PIN-1 has 92% amino acid sequence identity to a hypothetical protein identified in the C. elegans genome sequencing project (R. Wilson et al., Nature 368, 32, 1994) and has 92% amino acid sequence identity to a Chlamydomonas reinhardtii protein of unknown function recently identified as a component of a macromolecular complex which includes flagellar dynein (S. M. King and R. S. Patel-King, J. Biol. Chem. 270, 11445, 1995). The level of sequence identity implies that PIN-1 is the rat homolog of these proteins. The search also identified expressed sequence tags (ESTs) from several species encoding PIN-1 homologs. These ESTs, some of which span the entire or nearly the entire coding sequence of PIN-1, reveal that PIN-1 is highly conserved across species (FIG. 2B). Thus, rat PIN-1 displays 92% amino acid sequence identity with the C. elegans and Chlamydomonas homologs and 100% identity with the human and mouse sequences (FIG. 2B). Accession numbers for the referenced clones are:N28047 (EST, S. mansoni), T01352 (EST, C. reinhardtii), T34147 (EST, human), T88069 (A. thaliana). Sequences were aligned using BLAST (S. F. Altschul et al., J. Mol. Biol. 215, 403, 1990), and amino acid identity was determined by dividing the number of identical amino acids by the total number of compared amino acids. Ambiguous nucleotides from the ESTs which could not be translated were omitted from the analysis. Even the Arabidopsis homolog displays 62% identity to rat PIN-1 (FIG. 2B). This remarkable conservation is reminiscent of highly conserved proteins such as FKBP-12 (J. J. Siekierka et al., J. Biol. Chem. 265, 21011, 1990), cyclophilin (N. Takahashi et al., Nature 337, 473, 1989; G. Fischer et al., Nature., 337, 476, 1989) and the 14-3-3 family (A. Aitken et al., Trends Biol. Sci. 17, 498, 1992). Accordingly, it is likely that PIN-1 serves important, conserved biological functions. Preliminary yeast two-hybrid and blot overlay experiments reveal specific associations of PIN-1 with several other proteins besides nNOS. Thus, PIN-1's biological function may involve association with numerous proteins.

EXAMPLE 5

This example demonstrates the interaction of PIN-1 and neuronal nitric oxide synthase.

We confirmed the interaction of PIN-1 and nNOS by several techniques. We examined the ability of nNOS, endothelial NOS (eNOS), and inducible NOS (iNOS) in lysates from transfected human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells to bind to a glutathione-S-transferase (GST)-PIN-1 fusion protein and not to GST. The cDNA for PIN was excised from pAD-PIN with Sal I and Not I and cloned into those sites in pGEX-4T2 (Pharmacia) resulting in an in frame GST fusion protein. Fusion proteins were prepared in E. coli BL21(DE3) (Novagen) with glutathione-agarose (Sigma) as described in D. B. Smith and K. S. Johnson, Gene 67, 31, 1988, except that bacterial pellets were lysed in lysis buffer (50 mM tris-HCl, pH 7.7, 100 mM NaCl, and 2 mM EDTA), supernatants were adjusted to 1% Triton X-100, and protein was purified using elution buffer (50 mM tris-HCl, pH 7.7, 100 mM NaCl, 10 mM reduced glutathione, and 2 mM EDTA). HEK 293 cells were transfected with plasmids for nNOS [D. S. Bredt et al., Nature 351, 714, 1991), eNOS (S. Lamas et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 89, 6348, 1992), and iNOS (C. J. Lowenstein et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 89, 6711, 1992). Transfections were performed with 10 mg of each plasmid using the calcium phosphate method (J. Sambrook, E. F. Fritsch, T. Maniatis, Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989). Following transfection, cells were sonicated in buffer A (50 mM tris-HCl, pH 7.7, 100 mM NaCl, 2 mM EDTA, and 1% Triton X-100) and cleared by centrifugation. This cellular lysate was incubated with GST or GST-PIN immobilized on glutathione-agarose for one hour at 4° C. and washed extensively in HNTG buffer (20 mM Hepes, pH 7.4, 500 mM NaCl, 10% glycerol, and 0.1% Triton X-100). The material remaining on the resin was eluted with SDS-PAGE sample buffer and nNOS was detected by immunoblot using antibodies specific to each NOS isoform (Transduction Labs).

For assays testing PIN binding to immobilized NOS, 20 mg of bacterial lysate was added to 200 mg of transfected HEK 293 cell lysate and bound to 2′, 5′, ADP-Sepharose 4B (Pharrnacia) and subsequently washed and eluted with 10 mM NADPH as described in D. S. Bredt et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 87, 682, 1990. The eluate was immunoblotted with a rabbit polyclonal anti-GST antibody (NovaCastra). For blot-overlay analysis, pGEX-4T2 was modified such that two sites for protein kinase A (PKA) encoded on complementary synthetic oligonucleotides (5′-AATTCGTCGTGCATCTGTTGAACTACGTCGAGCTTCAGTTGCG-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 14)and 5′-TCGACGCAACTGAAGCTCGACGTAGTFCAACAGATGCACGACG-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 15)) were ligated into the Eco RI-Sal I sites in the multiple cloning site to generate plasmid pGEX4T-2K. Kinase reactions and blot overlays were performed as described in W. M. Kavanaugh and L. T. Williams, Science 266, 1862, 1994. Immunoblots and imunoprecipitation utilized the anti-myc monoclonal antibody 9E10 (Oncogene Science, Cambridge, Mass.).

Immunoprecipitations were performed as follows. Transfections of HEK 293 cells were performed in 10 cm petri dishes. Cells were scraped and sonicated in 0.5 ml lysis buffer. Supernatants were prepared by centrifugation at 14,000× g for 10 min at 4° C. To 100 ml of supernatant was added 0.5 mg of anfi-myc antibody and 10 ml of protein G-sepharose (Oncogene Science). Following overnight incubation, the resin was washed extensively, the contents were eluted in SDS-PAGE sample buffer and immunoblotted with an anti-nNOS antibody. nNOS specifically associated with PIN-1, but eNOS and iNOS did not (FIG. 3A). The domain of nNOS that binds to PIN-1 resides between amino acids 163 and 245 (FIG. 1B), which are absent in eNOS and iNOS, accounting for their failure to bind to PIN-1.

We next employed a NOS affinity resin consisting of 2′, 5′ ADP-sepharose. Lysates from nNOS transfected HEK 293 cells were mixed with bacterial lysates containing either GST-PIN-1 or GST and applied to the 2′, 5′ ADP ribose resin, as described in Bredt et al., supra. GST-PIN-1 bound to the resin in the presence of nNOS, while GST failed to adhere to the resin (FIG. 3B).

In a blot overlay assay, radiolabeled GST-PIN-1 selectively recognized nNOS in lysates from HEK 293 cells transfected with a plasmid expressing nNOS but not in mock transfected cells (FIG. 3C).

To assess whether PIN-1 and nNOS stably interact in intact cells, we transfected nNOS into HEK 293 cells and cotransfected either PIN-1 tagged with the myc epitope or the parent vector. To construct the myc epitope-tagged PIN-1, a Sal I-Bgl II fragment comprising the entire translated sequence of the insert in pAD-PIN-1 was generated by PCR and subcloned into the Sal I-Bam HI site of the cytomegalovirus-driven eukaryotic expression vector pCMV-myc (a generous gift of A. Lanahan and P. Worley) to generate a fusion protein consisting of an N-terminal myc tag followed by a pentaglycine linker and the PIN-1 insert. The amino acid sequence preceding the PIN-1 insert in this fusion protein is as follows: MDQKLISEEDLNGGGGGST (SEQ ID NO: 16). HEK 293 cells were transfected with the indicated quantities of plasmids and cGMP levels were measured following treatment with 10 mM calcium ionophore A23187 for one hour. Cells were scraped and resuspended in 500 ml lysis buffer (20) and cGMP levels were measured by radioimmunoassay (Amersham). An anti-myc antibody immunoprecipitated NNOS only from cells transfected with myc-PIN-1 but not in mock transfected cells (FIG. 3D). Together these data show that NOS and PIN-1 physically interact.

EXAMPLE 6

This example demonstrates the physiological role of PIN-1.

To ascertain the physiological role of PIN-1, we cotransfected PIN-1 and nNOS in HEK293 cells and in NlE-115 mouse neuroblastoma cells. To determine whether PIN-1 might be an adapter protein targeting nNOS to a particular subcellular compartment, we conducted subcellular fractionation. In both of these cell lines nNOS distribution in soluble and various particulate fractions was identical in cells transfected with PIN-1 and in mock transfected cells.

We next assessed the influence of PIN-1 upon NO-dependent cGMP formation in HEK 293 cells cotransfected with PIN-1 and nNOS, as described in Example 5. Cotransfection of different amounts of PIN-1 together with nNOS produced a concentration-dependent reduction in calcium ionophore-stimulated cGMP formation (FIG. 4A). Transfection of PIN-1 alone did not alter basal cGMP levels or levels produced following stimulation with calcium ionophore (J. E. Brenman et al., Cell 82, 743, 1995; J. E. Brenman et al., Cell 84, 757, 1996).

To determine whether PIN-1 directly inhibits nNOS, we examined the effect of purified recombinant GST-PIN-1 on nNOS activity in lysates of HEK 293 cells stably transfected with nNOS (FIG. 4B). As little as 250 nM PIN-1 substantially reduced NOS activity relative to the GST control with 50% inhibition evident at about 1 μM. Similar quantities of GST had no significant effect on NOS activity. We tested a second preparation of PIN-1 that utilized enzymatic cleavage of the GST moeity by thrombin. This preparation showed a similar dose-dependent inhibition of NOS activity, with 50% inhibition at about 5 mM (FIG. 4B). 22 Fusion proteins were prepared as described in Example 5, supra, except proteins were eluted from glutathione agarose by cleavage with thrombin in thrombin cleavage buffer (50 mM tris-HCl, pH 7.7, 100 mM NaCl, 2.5 mM CaCl2, and 1% Triton X-100) for 16 hours at 37° C. The eluate was adjusted to 5 mM EGTA, 4 mM leupeptin, and 400 nM aprotinin. Dilutions were made with thrombin cleavage buffer adjusted in this manner. A GST-BIRK fusion consisting of amino acids 347-442 of BIRK2 (D. S. Bredt et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 92, 6753, 1995) was cleaved with thrombin as above and used as a control protein in NOS assays (a gift of N. A. Cohen). This reduction in affinity may be due to thermal denaturation during preparation.

Are the measured potencies compatible with a physiological role for PIN-1? A number of protein-protein interactions, such as those with with SH3 domains, have dissociation constants greater than 5 mM (H. Yu et al., Cell 76, 933, 1994; A. R. Viguera et al., Biochemistry 33, 10925, 1994). The abundance of the PIN-1 transcript by Northern blot suggests that PIN-1 is present at concentrations sufficient to inhibit nNOS activity in vivo.

EXAMPLE 7

This example demonstrates the mechanism of inhibition of neuronal nitric oxide synthase activity by PIN-1.

We attempted to determine the mechanism of inhibition of nNOS activity by PIN-1. We considered the possibility that PIN-1 affects nNOS dimerization, which is thought to be essential for NOS activity (J. M. Hevel et al., J. Biol. Chem. 266, 289, 1991; H. H. H. W. Schmidt et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 88, 365, 1991; D. J. Stuehr et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 88, 7773, 1991; P. Klatt et al., EMBO 14, 3687, 1995). The subunits of nNOS form a dimer in the presence of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH₄) and arginine, which remains intact during low-temperature SDS-PAGE (Hevel et al., ibid.; Schmidt et al., ibid.; Stuehr et al., ibid.). In this assay, nNOS migrated as a monomer after being incubated with concentrations of GST-PIN-1 which inhibit >90% of NOS activity (FIG. 5A). Incubation with GST resulted in minimal loss of dimerized NOS.

We confirmed this effect by examining the apparent molecular mass of nNOS by gel filtration. The 320 kD NOS dimer has been shown previously by gel filtration to migrate with an apparent molecular mass of approximately 600 kD (P. Klatt et al., EMBO 14, 3687, 1995). NOS preparations that were incubated with GST migrated at approximately this apparent molecular mass (FIG. 5B). In the presence of GST-PIN-1, however, nNOS was detected at an elution volume consistent with NOS migrating as a monomer (FIG. 5B). These data suggest that PIN-1 promotes the dissociation of the nNOS dimer.

Dimerization of the three NOS isoforms is thought to be regulated by BH₄ and arginine binding. Thus, iNOS dimerizes in the presence of BH4 and arginine and monomerizes when these cofactors are removed by dialysis (Hevel et al., ibid.; Schmidt et al., ibid.; Stuehr et al., ibid.). The nNOS inhibitor 7-nitroindazole noncompetitively reduces the affinity of BH₄ and arginine (P. Klatt et al., J. Biol. Chem. 269, 13861, 1994) and causes NNOS to migrate as a monomer in SDS-PAGE (P. Klatt et al., EMBO 14, 3687, 1995). We have found that neither BH₄ nor arginine alter NOS binding to PIN-1 in vitro, implying that PIN-1 may alter dimerization through a mechanism distinct from 7-nitroindazole. Only one of two identified contributions to the stability of the nNOS dimer is sensitive to arginine and BH₄ sensisitive (Klatt et al., ibid.). In the SDS-PAGE stability assay, nNOS migrates as a monomer in preparations which include 7-nitroindazole or which lack BH₄ and arginine, but migrates as a dimer when assayed by gel filtration (P. Klatt et al., ibid). A second dimerization domain within nNOS may account for the 7-nitroindazole resistant dimerization. Using the yeast two-hybrid system we have recently found that the first 165 amino acids of nNOS, the PDZ domain, can dimerize. This region does not bind to BH4 or arginine but is adjacent to the PIN-1 binding site in NOS.

16 514 base pairs nucleic acid single linear cDNA NO NO Rattus norvegicus 1 GGAGAGCGGC CGCGCTGTCG CCTCTGCTGT TTCAGCGGCG CCAGCACCTT CCCTAGGAGC 60 TCGCAGCAGC CGGCTGGCCC CTGCTCCACG GTAACCATGT GCGACCGGAA GGCGGTGATC 120 AAAAATGCAG ACATGTCGGA AGAGATGCAA CAGGACTCGG TGGAGTGCGC TACTCAGGCG 180 TTGGAGAAGT ACAACATAGA GAAGGATATC GCGGCCCATA TCAAGAAGGA GTTTGACAAG 240 AAGTACAACC CCACCTGGCA CTGCATCGTG GGCCGGAACT TCGGTAGCTA CGTGACACAC 300 GAGACCAAAC ACTTCATCTA CTTCTACCTG GGTCAGGTGG CCATTCTCCT GTTCAAATCT 360 GGTTAATAGC ATGGACTGTG CCAAACACCC AGTGATCCAT CCAAAAACAA GGACTGCATC 420 CTAAATTCCA AATACCAGAG ACTGAATCTT CAGCCTTGCT AAGGGAACAC CTCGTTTGAA 480 TCTGTTGTGT TTTGTACAGG GCACCGCCCA AGGA 514 89 amino acids amino acid linear protein NO NO Rattus norvegicus 2 Met Cys Asp Arg Lys Ala Val Ile Lys Asn Ala Asp Met Ser Glu Glu 1 5 10 15 Met Gln Gln Asp Ser Val Glu Cys Ala Thr Gln Ala Leu Glu Lys Tyr 20 25 30 Asn Ile Glu Lys Asp Ile Ala Ala His Ile Lys Lys Glu Phe Asp Lys 35 40 45 Lys Tyr Asn Pro Thr Trp His Cys Ile Val Gly Arg Asn Phe Gly Ser 50 55 60 Tyr Val Thr His Glu Thr Lys His Phe Ile Tyr Phe Tyr Leu Gly Gln 65 70 75 80 Val Ala Ile Leu Leu Phe Lys Ser Gly 85 1554 amino acids amino acid linear protein Rattus norvegicus 3 Met Glu Asp His Met Phe Gly Val Gln Gln Ile Gln Pro Asn Val Ile 1 5 10 15 Ser Val Arg Leu Phe Lys Arg Lys Val Gly Gly Leu Gly Phe Leu Val 20 25 30 Lys Glu Arg Val Ser Lys Pro Pro Val Ile Ile Ser Asp Leu Ile Arg 35 40 45 Gly Gly Ala Ala Glu Gln Ser Gly Leu Ile Gln Ala Gly Asp Ile Ile 50 55 60 Leu Ala Val Asn Gly Arg Pro Leu Val Asp Leu Ser Tyr Asp Ser Ala 65 70 75 80 Leu Glu Val Leu Arg Gly Ile Ala Ser Glu Thr His Val Val Leu Ile 85 90 95 Leu Arg Gly Pro Glu Gly Phe Thr Thr His Leu Glu Thr Thr Phe Thr 100 105 110 Gly Asp Gly Thr Pro Lys Thr Ile Arg Val Thr Gln Pro Leu Gly Pro 115 120 125 Pro Thr Lys Ala Val Asp Leu Ser His Gln Pro Pro Ala Gly Lys Glu 130 135 140 Gln Pro Leu Ala Val Asp Gly Ala Ser Gly Pro Gly Asn Gly Pro Gln 145 150 155 160 His Ala Tyr Asp Asp Gly Gln Glu Ala Gly Ser Leu Pro His Ala Asn 165 170 175 Gly Leu Ala Pro Arg Pro Pro Gly Gln Asp Pro Ala Lys Lys Ala Thr 180 185 190 Arg Val Ser Leu Gln Gly Arg Gly Glu Asn Asn Glu Leu Leu Lys Glu 195 200 205 Ile Glu Pro Val Leu Ser Leu Leu Thr Ser Gly Ser Arg Gly Val Lys 210 215 220 Gly Gly Ala Pro Ala Lys Ala Glu Met Lys Asp Met Gly Ile Gln Val 225 230 235 240 Asp Arg Asp Leu Asp Gly Lys Ser His Lys Pro Leu Pro Leu Gly Val 245 250 255 Glu Asn Asp Arg Val Phe Asn Asp Leu Trp Gly Lys Gly Asn Val Pro 260 265 270 Val Val Leu Asn Asn Pro Tyr Ser Glu Lys Glu Gln Pro Pro Thr Ser 275 280 285 Gly Lys Gln Ser Pro Thr Lys Asn Gly Ser Pro Ser Lys Cys Pro Arg 290 295 300 Phe Leu Lys Val Lys Asn Trp Glu Thr Glu Val Val Leu Thr Asp Thr 305 310 315 320 Leu His Leu Lys Ser Thr Leu Glu Thr Gly Cys Thr Glu Tyr Ile Cys 325 330 335 Met Gly Ser Ile Met His Pro Ser Gln His Ala Arg Arg Pro Glu Asp 340 345 350 Val Arg Thr Lys Gly Gln Leu Phe Pro Leu Ala Lys Glu Phe Ile Asp 355 360 365 Gln Tyr Tyr Ser Ser Ile Lys Arg Phe Gly Ser Lys Ala His Met Glu 370 375 380 Arg Leu Glu Glu Val Asn Lys Glu Ile Asp Thr Thr Ser Thr Tyr Gln 385 390 395 400 Leu Lys Asp Thr Glu Leu Ile Tyr Gly Ala Lys His Ala Trp Arg Asn 405 410 415 Ala Ser Arg Cys Val Gly Arg Ile Gln Trp Ser Lys Leu Gln Val Phe 420 425 430 Asp Ala Arg Asp Cys Thr Thr Ala His Gly Met Phe Asn Tyr Ile Cys 435 440 445 Asn His Val Lys Tyr Ala Thr Asn Lys Gly Asn Leu Arg Ser Ala Ile 450 455 460 Thr Ile Phe Pro Gln Arg Thr Asp Gly Lys His Asp Phe Arg Val Trp 465 470 475 480 Asn Ser Gln Leu Ile Arg Tyr Ala Gly Tyr Lys Gln Pro Asp Gly Ser 485 490 495 Thr Leu Gly Asp Pro Ala Asn Val Gln Phe Thr Glu Ile Cys Ile Gln 500 505 510 Gln Gly Trp Lys Pro Pro Arg Gly Arg Phe Asp Val Leu Pro Leu Leu 515 520 525 Leu Gln Ala Asn Gly Asn Asp Pro Glu Leu Phe Gln Ile Pro Pro Glu 530 535 540 Leu Val Leu Glu Val Pro Ile Arg His Pro Lys Phe Glu Trp Phe Lys 545 550 555 560 Asp Leu Gly Leu Lys Trp Tyr Gly Leu Pro Ala Val Ser Asn Met Leu 565 570 575 Leu Glu Ile Gly Gly Leu Glu Phe Ser Ala Cys Pro Phe Ser Gly Trp 580 585 590 Tyr Met Gly Thr Glu Ile Gly Val Arg Asp Tyr Cys Asp Asn Ser Arg 595 600 605 Tyr Asn Ile Leu Glu Glu Val Ala Lys Lys Met Asn Leu Asp Met Arg 610 615 620 Lys Thr Ser Ser Leu Trp Lys Asp Gln Ala Leu Val Glu Ile Asn Ile 625 630 635 640 Ala Val Leu Tyr Ser Phe Gln Ser Asp Lys Val Thr Ile Val Asp His 645 650 655 His Ser Ala Thr Glu Ser Phe Ile Lys His Met Glu Asn Glu Tyr Arg 660 665 670 Cys Arg Gly Gly Cys Pro Ala Asp Trp Val Trp Ile Val Pro Pro Met 675 680 685 Ser Gly Ser Ile Thr Pro Val Phe His Gln Glu Met Leu Asn Tyr Arg 690 695 700 Leu Thr Pro Ser Phe Glu Tyr Gln Pro Asp Pro Trp Asn Thr His Val 705 710 715 720 Trp Lys Gly Thr Asn Gly Thr Pro Thr Lys Arg Arg Ala Ile Gly Phe 725 730 735 Lys Lys Leu Ala Glu Ala Val Lys Phe Ser Ala Lys Leu Met Gly Gln 740 745 750 Ala Met Ala Lys Arg Val Lys Ala Thr Ile Leu Tyr Ala Thr Glu Thr 755 760 765 Gly Lys Ser Gln Ala Tyr Ala Lys Thr Leu Cys Glu Ile Phe Lys His 770 775 780 Ala Phe Asp Ala Lys Val Met Ser Met Glu Glu Tyr Asp Ile Val His 785 790 795 800 Leu Glu His Glu Thr Leu Val Leu Val Val Thr Ser Thr Phe Gly Asn 805 810 815 Gly Asp Pro Pro Glu Asn Gly Glu Lys Phe Gly Cys Ala Leu Met Glu 820 825 830 Met Arg His Pro Asn Ser Val Gln Glu Glu Arg Lys Ser Tyr Lys Val 835 840 845 Arg Phe Asn Ser Val Ser Ser Tyr Ser Asp Ser Gln Lys Ser Ser Gly 850 855 860 Asp Gly Pro Asp Leu Arg Asp Asn Phe Glu Ser Ala Gly Pro Leu Ala 865 870 875 880 Asn Val Arg Phe Ser Val Phe Gly Leu Gly Ser Arg Ala Tyr Pro His 885 890 895 Phe Cys Ala Phe Gly His Ala Val Asp Thr Leu Leu Glu Glu Leu Gly 900 905 910 Gly Glu Arg Ile Leu Lys Met Arg Glu Gly Asp Glu Leu Cys Gly Gln 915 920 925 Glu Glu Ala Phe Arg Thr Trp Ala Lys Lys Val Phe Lys Ala Ala Cys 930 935 940 Asp Val Phe Cys Val Gly Asp Asp Val Asn Ile Glu Lys Ala Asn Asn 945 950 955 960 Ser Leu Ile Ser Asn Asp Arg Ser Trp Lys Arg Asn Lys Phe Arg Leu 965 970 975 Thr Phe Val Ala Glu Ala Pro Glu Leu Thr Gln Gly Leu Ser Asn Val 980 985 990 His Lys Lys Arg Val Ser Ala Ala Arg Leu Leu Ser Arg Gln Asn Leu 995 1000 1005 Gln Ser Pro Lys Ser Ser Arg Ser Thr Ile Phe Val Arg Leu His Thr 1010 1015 1020 Asn Gly Ser Gln Glu Leu Gln Tyr Gln Pro Gly Asp His Leu Gly Val 1025 1030 1035 1040 Phe Pro Gly Asn His Glu Asp Leu Val Asn Ala Leu Ile Glu Arg Leu 1045 1050 1055 Glu Asp Ala Pro Pro Val Asn Gln Met Val Lys Val Glu Leu Leu Glu 1060 1065 1070 Glu Arg Asn Thr Ala Leu Gly Val Ile Ser Asn Trp Thr Asp Glu Leu 1075 1080 1085 Arg Leu Pro Pro Cys Thr Ile Phe Gln Ala Phe Lys Tyr Tyr Leu Asp 1090 1095 1100 Ile Thr Thr Pro Pro Thr Pro Leu Gln Leu Gln Gln Phe Ala Ser Leu 1105 1110 1115 1120 Ala Thr Ser Glu Lys Glu Lys Gln Arg Leu Leu Val Leu Ser Lys Gly 1125 1130 1135 Leu Gln Glu Tyr Glu Glu Trp Lys Trp Gly Lys Asn Pro Thr Ile Val 1140 1145 1150 Glu Val Leu Glu Glu Phe Pro Ser Ile Gln Met Pro Ala Thr Leu Leu 1155 1160 1165 Leu Thr Gln Leu Ser Leu Leu Gln Pro Arg Tyr Tyr Ser Ile Ser Ser 1170 1175 1180 Ser Pro Asp Met Tyr Pro Asp Glu Val His Leu Thr Val Ala Ile Val 1185 1190 1195 1200 Ser Tyr Arg Thr Arg Asp Gly Glu Gly Pro Ile His His Gly Val Cys 1205 1210 1215 Ser Ser Trp Leu Asn Arg Ile Gln Ala Asp Glu Leu Val Pro Cys Phe 1220 1225 1230 Val Arg Gly Ala Pro Ser Phe His Leu Pro Arg Asn Pro Gln Val Pro 1235 1240 1245 Cys Ile Leu Val Gly Pro Gly Thr Gly Ile Ala Pro Phe Arg Ser Phe 1250 1255 1260 Trp Gln Gln Arg Gln Phe Asp Ile Gln His Lys Gly Met Asn Pro Cys 1265 1270 1275 1280 Pro Met Val Leu Val Phe Gly Cys Arg Gln Ser Lys Ile Asp His Ile 1285 1290 1295 Tyr Arg Glu Glu Thr Leu Gln Ala Lys Asn Lys Gly Val Phe Arg Glu 1300 1305 1310 Leu Tyr Thr Ala Tyr Ser Arg Glu Pro Asp Lys Pro Lys Lys Tyr Val 1315 1320 1325 Gln Asp Ile Leu Gln Glu Gln Leu Ala Glu Ser Val Tyr Arg Ala Leu 1330 1335 1340 Lys Glu Gln Gly Gly His Ile Tyr Val Cys Gly Asp Val Thr Met Ala 1345 1350 1355 1360 Ala Asp Val Leu Lys Ala Ile Gln Arg Ile Met Thr Gln Gln Gly Lys 1365 1370 1375 Leu Ser Ala Glu Asp Ala Gly Val Phe Ile Ser Arg Met Arg Asp Asp 1380 1385 1390 Asn Arg Tyr His Glu Asp Ile Phe Gly Val Thr Leu Arg Thr Tyr Glu 1395 1400 1405 Val Thr Asn Arg Leu Arg Ser Glu Ser Ile Ala Phe Ile Glu Glu Ser 1410 1415 1420 Lys Lys Asp Thr Asp Glu Gly Phe Gln Leu Leu Thr Gly Pro Ser Cys 1425 1430 1435 1440 Pro Ala Gly Cys Lys Phe Cys Lys Arg Gly Gln Thr Leu Leu Asn Leu 1445 1450 1455 Ser Ser Gly Thr Pro Cys Gly Pro Arg Ser Ala Ser Cys Pro Cys Arg 1460 1465 1470 Cys Ala Leu Val Ser Leu Leu Gly Leu Leu Ala Pro Gln Trp Phe Pro 1475 1480 1485 Arg Pro Ser Trp Val Tyr Ser Leu Ser Phe Pro Ala Ala Met Gln Cys 1490 1495 1500 Phe Ser Asn Leu Gln Trp Leu Leu Gln Asn Ser Val Pro Thr Pro Ser 1505 1510 1515 1520 Leu Ala Asp Lys Gly Asn Ser Arg Val His Glu Thr Thr Gly Thr Trp 1525 1530 1535 Pro Ser Leu Trp Gly Phe Phe Ser Leu Gly Phe Pro Trp Lys Gly Cys 1540 1545 1550 Arg Asn 1430 amino acids amino acid linear protein NO Homo sapiens 4 Met Glu Glu Asn Thr Phe Gly Val Gln Gln Ile Gln Pro Asn Val Ile 1 5 10 15 Ser Val Arg Leu Phe Lys Arg Lys Val Gly Gly Leu Gly Phe Leu Val 20 25 30 Lys Glu Arg Val Ser Lys Pro Pro Val Ile Ile Ser Asp Leu Ile Arg 35 40 45 Gly Gly Ala Ala Glu Gln Ser Gly Leu Ile Gln Ala Gly Asp Ile Ile 50 55 60 Leu Ala Val Asn Asp Arg Pro Leu Val Asp Leu Ser Tyr Asp Ser Ala 65 70 75 80 Leu Glu Val Leu Arg Gly Ile Ala Ser Glu Thr His Val Val Leu Ile 85 90 95 Leu Arg Gly Pro Glu Gly Phe Thr Thr His Leu Glu Thr Thr Phe Thr 100 105 110 Gly Asp Gly Thr Pro Lys Thr Ile Arg Val Thr Gln Pro Leu Gly Pro 115 120 125 Pro Thr Lys Ala Val Asp Leu Ser His Gln Pro Ser Ala Ser Lys Asp 130 135 140 Gln Ser Leu Ala Val Asp Arg Val Thr Gly Leu Gly Asn Gly Pro Gln 145 150 155 160 His Ala Gln Gly His Gly Gln Gly Ala Gly Ser Val Ser Gln Ala Asn 165 170 175 Gly Val Ala Ile Asp Pro Thr Met Lys Ser Thr Lys Ala Asn Leu Gln 180 185 190 Asp Ile Gly Glu His Asp Glu Leu Leu Lys Glu Ile Glu Pro Val Leu 195 200 205 Ser Ile Leu Asn Ser Gly Ser Lys Ala Thr Asn Arg Gly Gly Pro Ala 210 215 220 Lys Ala Glu Met Lys Asp Thr Gly Ile Gln Val Asp Arg Asp Leu Asp 225 230 235 240 Gly Lys Ser His Lys Ala Pro Pro Leu Gly Gly Asp Asn Asp Arg Val 245 250 255 Phe Asn Asp Leu Trp Gly Lys Asp Asn Val Pro Val Ile Leu Asn Asn 260 265 270 Pro Tyr Ser Glu Lys Glu Gln Ser Pro Thr Ser Gly Lys Gln Ser Pro 275 280 285 Thr Lys Asn Gly Ser Pro Ser Arg Cys Pro Arg Phe Leu Lys Val Lys 290 295 300 Asn Trp Glu Thr Asp Val Val Leu Thr Asp Thr Leu His Leu Lys Ser 305 310 315 320 Thr Leu Glu Thr Gly Cys Thr Glu His Ile Cys Met Gly Ser Ile Met 325 330 335 Leu Pro Ser Gln His Thr Arg Lys Pro Glu Asp Val Arg Thr Lys Asp 340 345 350 Gln Leu Phe Pro Leu Ala Lys Glu Phe Leu Asp Gln Tyr Tyr Ser Ser 355 360 365 Ile Lys Arg Phe Gly Ser Lys Ala His Met Asp Arg Leu Glu Glu Val 370 375 380 Asn Lys Glu Ile Glu Ser Thr Ser Thr Tyr Gln Leu Lys Asp Thr Glu 385 390 395 400 Leu Ile Tyr Gly Ala Lys His Ala Trp Arg Asn Ala Ser Arg Cys Val 405 410 415 Gly Arg Ile Gln Trp Ser Lys Leu Gln Val Phe Asp Ala Arg Asp Cys 420 425 430 Thr Thr Ala His Gly Met Phe Asn Tyr Ile Cys Asn His Val Lys Tyr 435 440 445 Ala Thr Asn Lys Gly Asn Leu Arg Ser Ala Ile Thr Ile Phe Pro Gln 450 455 460 Arg Thr Asp Gly Lys His Asp Phe Arg Val Trp Asn Ser Gln Leu Ile 465 470 475 480 Arg Tyr Ala Gly Tyr Lys Gln Pro Asp Gly Ser Thr Leu Gly Asp Pro 485 490 495 Ala Asn Val Gln Phe Thr Glu Ile Cys Ile Gln Gln Gly Trp Lys Ala 500 505 510 Pro Arg Gly Arg Phe Asp Val Leu Pro Leu Leu Leu Gln Ala Asn Gly 515 520 525 Asn Asp Pro Glu Leu Phe Gln Ile Pro Pro Glu Leu Val Leu Glu Val 530 535 540 Pro Ile Arg His Pro Lys Phe Asp Trp Phe Lys Asp Leu Gly Leu Lys 545 550 555 560 Trp Tyr Gly Leu Pro Ala Val Ser Asn Met Leu Leu Glu Ile Gly Gly 565 570 575 Leu Glu Phe Ser Ala Cys Pro Phe Ser Gly Trp Tyr Met Gly Thr Glu 580 585 590 Ile Gly Val Arg Asp Tyr Cys Asp Asn Ser Arg Tyr Asn Ile Leu Glu 595 600 605 Glu Val Ala Lys Lys Met Asp Leu Asp Met Arg Lys Thr Ser Ser Leu 610 615 620 Trp Lys Asp Gln Ala Leu Val Glu Ile Asn Ile Ala Val Leu Tyr Ser 625 630 635 640 Phe Gln Ser Asp Lys Val Thr Ile Val Asp His His Ser Ala Thr Glu 645 650 655 Ser Phe Ile Lys His Met Glu Asn Glu Tyr Arg Cys Arg Gly Gly Cys 660 665 670 Pro Ala Asp Trp Val Trp Ile Val Pro Pro Met Ser Gly Ser Ile Thr 675 680 685 Pro Val Phe His Gln Glu Met Leu Asn Tyr Arg Leu Thr Pro Ser Phe 690 695 700 Glu Tyr Gln Pro Asp Pro Trp Asn Thr His Val Trp Lys Gly Thr Asn 705 710 715 720 Gly Thr Pro Thr Lys Arg Arg Ala Ile Gly Phe Lys Lys Leu Ala Glu 725 730 735 Ala Val Lys Phe Ser Ala Lys Leu Met Gly Gln Ala Met Ala Lys Arg 740 745 750 Val Lys Ala Thr Ile Leu Tyr Ala Thr Glu Thr Gly Lys Ser Gln Ala 755 760 765 Tyr Ala Lys Thr Leu Cys Glu Ile Phe Lys His Ala Phe Asp Ala Lys 770 775 780 Ala Met Ser Met Glu Glu Tyr Asp Ile Val His Leu Glu His Glu Ala 785 790 795 800 Leu Val Leu Val Val Thr Ser Thr Phe Gly Asn Gly Asp Pro Pro Glu 805 810 815 Asn Gly Glu Lys Phe Gly Cys Ala Leu Met Glu Met Arg His Pro Asn 820 825 830 Ser Val Gln Glu Glu Arg Lys Ser Tyr Lys Val Arg Phe Asn Ser Val 835 840 845 Ser Ser Tyr Ser Asp Ser Arg Lys Ser Ser Gly Asp Gly Pro Asp Leu 850 855 860 Arg Asp Asn Phe Glu Ser Thr Gly Pro Leu Ala Asn Val Arg Phe Ser 865 870 875 880 Val Phe Gly Leu Gly Ser Arg Ala Tyr Pro His Phe Cys Ala Phe Gly 885 890 895 His Ala Val Asp Thr Leu Leu Glu Glu Leu Gly Gly Glu Arg Ile Leu 900 905 910 Lys Met Arg Glu Gly Asp Glu Leu Cys Gly Gln Glu Glu Ala Phe Arg 915 920 925 Thr Trp Ala Lys Lys Val Phe Lys Ala Ala Cys Asp Val Phe Cys Val 930 935 940 Gly Asp Asp Val Asn Ile Glu Lys Pro Asn Asn Ser Leu Ile Ser Asn 945 950 955 960 Asp Arg Ser Trp Lys Arg Asn Lys Phe Arg Leu Thr Tyr Val Ala Glu 965 970 975 Ala Pro Asp Leu Thr Gln Gly Leu Ser Asn Val His Lys Lys Arg Val 980 985 990 Ser Ala Ala Arg Leu Leu Ser Arg Gln Asn Leu Gln Ser Pro Lys Phe 995 1000 1005 Ser Arg Ser Thr Ile Phe Val Arg Leu His Thr Asn Gly Asn Gln Glu 1010 1015 1020 Leu Gln Tyr Gln Pro Gly Asp His Leu Gly Val Phe Pro Gly Asn His 1025 1030 1035 1040 Glu Asp Leu Val Asn Ala Leu Ile Glu Arg Leu Glu Asp Ala Pro Pro 1045 1050 1055 Ala Asn His Val Val Lys Val Glu Met Leu Glu Glu Arg Asn Thr Ala 1060 1065 1070 Leu Gly Val Ile Ser Asn Trp Lys Asp Glu Ser Arg Leu Pro Pro Cys 1075 1080 1085 Thr Ile Phe Gln Ala Phe Lys Tyr Tyr Leu Asp Ile Thr Thr Pro Pro 1090 1095 1100 Thr Pro Leu Gln Leu Gln Gln Phe Ala Ser Leu Ala Thr Asn Glu Lys 1105 1110 1115 1120 Glu Lys Gln Arg Leu Leu Val Leu Ser Lys Gly Leu Gln Glu Tyr Glu 1125 1130 1135 Glu Trp Lys Trp Gly Lys Asn Pro Thr Met Val Glu Val Leu Glu Glu 1140 1145 1150 Phe Pro Ser Ile Gln Met Pro Ala Thr Leu Leu Leu Thr Gln Leu Ser 1155 1160 1165 Leu Leu Gln Pro Arg Tyr Tyr Ser Ile Ser Ser Ser Pro Asp Met Tyr 1170 1175 1180 Pro Asp Glu Val His Leu Thr Val Ala Ile Val Ser Tyr His Thr Arg 1185 1190 1195 1200 Asp Gly Glu Gly Pro Val His His Gly Val Cys Ser Ser Trp Leu Asn 1205 1210 1215 Arg Ile Gln Ala Asp Asp Val Val Pro Cys Phe Val Arg Gly Ala Pro 1220 1225 1230 Ser Phe His Leu Pro Arg Asn Pro Gln Val Pro Cys Ile Leu Val Gly 1235 1240 1245 Pro Gly Thr Gly Ile Ala Pro Phe Arg Ser Phe Trp Gln Gln Arg Gln 1250 1255 1260 Phe Asp Ile Gln His Lys Gly Met Asn Pro Cys Pro Met Val Leu Val 1265 1270 1275 1280 Phe Gly Cys Arg Gln Ser Lys Ile Asp His Ile Tyr Arg Glu Glu Thr 1285 1290 1295 Leu Gln Ala Lys Asn Lys Gly Val Phe Arg Glu Leu Tyr Thr Ala Tyr 1300 1305 1310 Ser Arg Glu Pro Asp Arg Pro Lys Lys Tyr Val Gln Asp Val Leu Gln 1315 1320 1325 Glu Gln Leu Ala Glu Ser Val Tyr Arg Ala Leu Lys Glu Gln Gly Gly 1330 1335 1340 His Ile Tyr Val Cys Gly Asp Val Thr Met Ala Ala Asp Val Leu Lys 1345 1350 1355 1360 Ala Ile Gln Arg Ile Met Thr Gln Gln Gly Lys Leu Ser Glu Glu Asp 1365 1370 1375 Ala Gly Val Phe Ile Ser Arg Leu Arg Asp Asp Asn Arg Tyr His Glu 1380 1385 1390 Asp Ile Phe Gly Val Thr Leu Arg Thr Tyr Glu Val Thr Asn Arg Leu 1395 1400 1405 Arg Ser Glu Ser Ile Ala Phe Ile Glu Glu Ser Lys Lys Asp Ala Asp 1410 1415 1420 Glu Val Phe Ser Ser Pro 1425 1430 30 base pairs nucleic acid single linear cDNA NO NO unknown 5 GACTAGTCGA CTGAAGAGAA CACGTTTGGG 30 31 base pairs nucleic acid single linear cDNA NO NO unknown 6 TCTGCAGATC TCAGTGGGCC TTGGAGCCAA A 31 31 base pairs nucleic acid single linear cDNA NO NO unknown 7 GACTGGTCG ACTGACGAGT TCTACCCCGC C 31 24 base pairs nucleic acid single linear cDNA NO NO unknown 8 GGACTGGAGC TCATCTTGTT GGTC 24 31 base pairs nucleic acid single linear cDNA NO NO unknown 9 GGACTGGTCG ACTCCTCTGC AGAAGAAGGT C 31 30 base pairs nucleic acid single linear cDNA NO NO unknown 10 GGACTGGAGC TCTTACCAGA AAGGACACCA 30 27 base pairs nucleic acid single linear cDNA NO NO unknown 11 TAGTCGACTC TCTTCAAACG CAAAGTG 27 27 base pairs nucleic acid single linear cDNA NO NO unknown 12 TAGTCGACTC AAGGCCATGG GCAGGGA 27 26 base pairs nucleic acid single linear cDNA NO NO unknown 13 GCAGATCTTT TGTGCGATTT GCCATC 26 43 base pairs nucleic acid single linear cDNA NO NO unknown 14 AATTCGTCGT GCATCTGTTG AACTACGTCG AGCTTCAGTT GCG 43 43 base pairs nucleic acid single linear cDNA NO NO unknown 15 TCGACGCAAC TGAAGCTCGA CGTAGTTCAA CAGATGCACG ACG 43 19 amino acids amino acid single linear peptide unknown 16 Met Asp Gln Lys Leu Ile Ser Glu Glu Asp Leu Asn Gly Gly Gly Gly 1 5 10 15 Gly Ser Thr 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of screening test compounds for the ability to decrease or augment neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) activity, comprising the steps of: (a) contacting a cell with a test compound, wherein the cell comprises: i) a first fusion protein comprising (1) a DNA binding domain and (2) a mammalian protein inhibitor of nNOS (PIN-1) protein as shown in SEQ ID NO:2; ii) a second fusion protein comprising (1) a transcriptional activating domain and (2) amino acids 163-245 of a nNOS protein as shown in SEQ ID NO:3 or a domain of a nNOS protein as shown in SEQ ID NO:4 which binds to the PIN-1 protein, wherein the interaction of the PIN-1 protein with amino acids 163-245 of the nNOS protein as shown in SEQ ID NO:3 or with the domain of the nNOS protein as shown in SEQ ID NO:4 reconstitutes a sequence-specific transcriptional activating factor; and iii) a reporter gene comprising a DNA sequence to which the DNA binding domain of the first fusion protein specifically binds; and (b) measuring the expression of the reporter gene; wherein a test compound that increases the expression of the reporter gene would be a potential drug for decreasing nNOS activity, and a test compound that decreases the expression of the reporter gene would be a potential drug for augmenting nNOS activity.
 2. A method of screening for drugs with the ability to decrease or augment neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) activity comprising the steps of: (a) contacting a cell with a test compound, wherein the cell comprises: (i) a first expression vector comprising a subgenomic polynucleotide encoding nNOS as shown in SEQ ID NOS:3 or 4; (ii) a second expression vector comprising a subgenomic polynucleotide encoding protein inhibitor of nNOS (PIN-1) as shown in SEQ ID NO:2; and (b) measuring the amount of cGMP in the cell; wherein a test compound that increases the amount of cGMP would be a potential drug for augmenting nNOS activity, and a test compound that decreases the amount of cGMP would be a potential drug for decreasing nNOS activity.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the second fusion protein comprises (1) transcriptional activating domain and (2) a nNOS protein as shown in SEQ ID NO:3.
 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the second fusion protein comprises (1) transcriptional activating domain and (2) a nNOS protein as shown in SEQ ID NO:4. 